The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-16

seven
acres. When Rome became corrup ted by riches
and slavery, the limit of holding broken
down and great estates were held by the few
The rich became effeminate; the poor became
degraded Both became unfit for war, and when
the Teutonic hordes SWEPT down from the north
the Romans could not defend themselves, and
the country passed into the hands of invaders.
From the systems of land-holding of these
Germanic tribes grew up the feudai system. the
theory of which is that the ultimate title OF all
land IS IN the King. Centuries have passed, and
many changes have been made in the English
system and more are to be made in the future.
Passing to a discussion of the land question,
as it is beginning to press upon the people Of
America, Mr.. Doolittle SAID:
ga deep sense OF the dangers of land m onoply
to our republican institutions and to the welfare
of our country, led, doubt not. to the request
that should speak on that subject on this occa-
sion, and give my opinion to the wisest,
simplest and most practical solution of the land
question for the people of the United States. In
few words, my opinion is:
I'm the first place. revolutionary method is
necessary. should be proposed. Whatever 10
done should conform to the theory OF our sys-
tenn, which is, progress under law; peaceful
revolution. by framing wiser laws and better
constitutions in order to conform TO a more en-
lightened public Judgment.
- In the second place. confiscation OF any
property, real personal. of any person, is
necessary at all, or should be proposed What
ever law Is enacted bearing upon the land ques-
ton should recognize that among the founda-
tions of human liberty more impor-
tant than that portion of the bill of rights which
denies the right of the government to take
away any mans property. for public use,
without just compensation; and this applies to
property in land. as we'll as to all other prop
erty.
50 The idea OF some, that law or consttu-
ton may declare private property in land void.
or confscate its value by taxing that alone.
naUa find in vNnr ~ uor~
ceive the practical support of civilized people.
because the strongest natural instinct and most
duties of manood-to found family, to have q
home for his wife and children, and, to crown
all, to have a homestead of his OVID, in which to
live and rear up that family. It is as natural to
to seek and to have his own home that
bird should seek and have it's nest. 1t is
only in FREQ. separate, and independents homo
that he becomes full man. There. alone is
he prophet. priest and king. There, alone, is
every wife queen And there, alone, are the
children reared up to manhood. and woman
hood, who themselves to be the future
public. Among the greatest of the blessings OF
that promised happy state, when the reign of
universal peace on earth and good to men
shall come, is, that every man shall have his
own homestead, shall cit down under his own
vine and fig tree, with none to modest or make
afraid.
~. The idea that all taxes should be abolished,
except direct taxes upon land to support the fed
eral. State and municipal governments. would
result in great in Justice and inequality. Besides
in the federal Constitution. and in the consfitu.
tions OF all the States-such radical changes
could hardly be brought about in centuries. il
SO. But what then could be done to prevent
the future growth Of land monopoly? and what
should be done to relieve from the evils of
such land monopoly already existsl The answer
is very simple: Prevent its future growth, and
what now exists will disappear of itself.
ITO prevent its growth in the Territories no
amendment to the Constitution is necessary.
Como has full Rnf tn ant
in the States, amendment to their constitu-
tions would be necessarg. Such amendments
should provide that the Legislature, at stated
priods. say once every twenty years, or once
for every new generation, should fix limit to
the amount of agricultural land. the amount Of
land in villages and the amount Of land iE
cities, which any person could thereafter
take, hold or acquire, by GIFT, grant, purchase,
devise or inheritance. with power to enforce it
the proper limit for agricultural
holdings for holdings in villages
and for holdings in cities would be fixed
upon by the Legislature of the State at these
stated periods, and each State would determine
for itself. This wouid act, not upon present.
but upon future acquisitions only. It would
take from no man any portion of his property.
II would only prevent in future the growth Ct
land monopoly. What the Legislature of each
State. in view of its population, soil and climate
weuld regard as a proper Limitation upon farms.
upon village and upon city property, would be-
controlled by the enlightened judgment of the
people of the State represented
'But it may be said this would give the Leg
islature power to prevent a rich from
trolling his property after his death, and making
his children landed aristocracy. That is true.
He would not be able to devise to any one land
in excess Of the limitation. But that does not
take away his property. It is death which takes
him and sewers him from the control of his
property. A dead man has right to control
his property beyond what the law specially
gives him There is nothing in the
P rights which asserts assa m.e
right to control his property in this world after
he leaves it The earth belongs to the living,
not to the dead; and the law is to provide for
the living and not for the dead. Our ancestors
declared against the law ofIprimogenture which
exists in England in order that great estates
law of land Limitation upon gifts and in hertz
ances is in the same direction. 1t looks to the
same end-the prevention of land monopoly and
land aristocracy; and this should apply to citi-
zens we'll as to aliens. Some men nowadays
think themselves very brave and very patriotios
in denounclng foreign landed aristocracy;,
eerous to the Republic; perhaps even more SO.
Such. in brief. is my opinion of a true, wise and
practical M ode of securing ourselves against the
dangers of land monopoly.
"But intimately connected with this SUBJ
,ject, after thus fixing system OF land limita-
ton which would prevent the monopoly of the
every honest. frugal and Industrious man, who
has capacity to govern himself. opportunity
to become landnolder and to purchase and pay
for q homestead for his family, l would go
step further. In order to favor and induce. and
to some extent to aid him to do So 1 would
favor also further amendments to the consti-
buttons of tho several States which, besides
empting homesteads from forced sale for debt,
should also, within certain limits, exempt tina &
homestead and all necessary furniture from all
taxation whatever: and, further. that in the
sessment of all farms and homesteads. only
their value and above the amount fixed for
homestead exemption from taxation. should be
assessed at all.
'.And. what it equally important. the Constitu-
ton Of each State should provide that
householder, and head OF family, who should
live with and support his family in such separate
homestead for such time as the Legislature shall
prescribe in addition to the one vote. to which
he is entitled at any election, should have
additional vote to represent bis family: so
that every such permanent householder, occu-
plying homestead, shall have two votes one to-
represent his man hood, and one to represent his
family and household This is a most important,
matter. which have discussed elsewhere. but